I was driving on Route 31 in Pennington when I passed the sign “Recreational Dispensary.“ Really? Is that the same thing as a Marijuana market? Weed Warehouse? Grass is Us? Or Dope Shop?
Should a bar be redesignated as a medical or recreational alcohol dispensary serving Medical beer? Pharmaceutical wine? Palliative cognac?
Isn’t it time to stop the euphemisms and restore a little honesty to the language? Isn’t it time to say what you really mean?
What comes to mind when you pass dwellings titled Pheasant Run, Fox Run, Hopewell Hunt, Hopewell Parc. Do you immediately identify these locations as Victorian estates inhabited by effete noblemen (and women) riding to the hounds? Of course you don’t. Call them what they are: McMansions ‘R’ Us or, for a European flair “Developments Ordinaire,” or if it’s appropriate, Condo, Condo, Condo—yes, just dance along.
I will gracefully concede that mass housing designated as “Farms” may well reflect the agricultural origins of the acreage and thus have a certain historical preservation value.
Anyone dying these days? Are they the late or the dearly departed. Have they passed away, are no longer with us, gone to the great beyond, a better world or their final reward.? Nope, they’re dead.
Then there are the deniers: science deniers, climate change deniers, vaccination deniers, election deniers. Let’s be more efficient in our designations. Can’t these all be combined under the more accurate umbrella: Reality deniers?
Incidentally, climate change really means planet destruction. Science deniers means no education past second grade. And election deniers are just gullible folks who will believe any lie no matter how far-fetched if it fits their insidious inclinations..
Are “pro-lifers” really pro-life? Nah, these fanatics are anti-abortion, anti-women. The only thing they are Pro about is invasion of privacy. Consequently, shouldn’t they be required to allow public attendance at their next colonoscopy?
Do Supreme Court justices get a pass when they claim to be Originalists or Strict Constructionists? No, they have just found some weasely, highfalutin terms to disguise their objections to laws they don’t like including those allowing people of color to vote, those restricting the ultra rich from buying elections, or any laws preventing every deranged gun nut from owning a gun.
Alas, the current court firmly reinforces Dickens’ line in Oliver Twist, “the law is an ass.”
What do xenophobes really mean when they say they are opposed to illegal immigration? Guess they are merely too shy to say, “I hate foreigners and I need someone to blame for everything that I don’t like. Furthermore, I have a deep need to feel better than someone. And those ‘illegals’ might be smarter than I am and work harder and make me look like the jerk that I am. Also they doesn’t speak English as good as me.”
And those who object to government spending and giveaways. What do they really mean? Answer: I don’t care if children are starving, if people can’t pay for doctors, if . . . Really, I hate the poor.”
Perhaps it’s time to stop using alphabetical labels like the “A” word or the “B” word. Even the New York Times which, decades ago, infamously used the euphemism “barnyard epithet” in place of bovine manure, now prints all the bad words.
Of course, this raises the question, is the appearance of profane language in the august newspaper of record a rejection of euphemistic speech and an expression of enlightened honesty or is it a reflection of the coarsening of the culture?
And speaking of coarsening the culture, we know which orange menace is largely responsible for that coarsening. (“Orange menace?” Is that another euphemism for a convicted felon? Nah, I just can’t stand to say his name.)
And as for MAGA, it’s time to substitute the more accurate four-letter political label. Hint: the first letter is “N.” and the third letter is Z.
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